Introduction – Part 4: What Is a Spiritual Survivor?
When I use the term spiritual survivor, I’m not picturing someone hanging on by his or her spiritual fingertips and in the end just barely making it. Nor do I envision spiritual survivors as Christians who are concerned only about their own welfare.
To me, a spiritual survivor is someone who finds himself or herself in a changing, challenging, and sometimes confusing world, and prays, “Lord, stand with me now. Give me Your wisdom and discernment. And I’ll play the role You assign me for all it’s worth!”
Spiritual survivors have an attitude that says, “Not somehow, but triumphantly!”
That expression comes to me from my years at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. Then President V. Raymond Edman used to challenge young students to live with great purpose. “Not just somehow, but triumphantly,” he would say time and again. “Brave Wheaton sons and daughters true, don’t be afraid … not somehow, but triumphantly. For Christ and His kingdom.”
In that same spirit I want you as a reader to adopt an attitude for the remainder of the 20-teens that centers on purposeful Christian living. Determine now to live decidedly Christian.
That’s important. You see, I’m almost certain the eight survival skills I’ve chosen to emphasize in these blog posts will stretch you some. They’re not simple devotional thoughts you can mull over briefly and then forget. These survival skills require a response on your part that could be a bit discomforting.
I mention that upfront because I’m still trying to adjust to several of them myself. It’s not that I’m fighting the Lord, but Jesus’ ways don’t always come easily for me. And so I pray, “Don’t give up on me, Lord!”
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
